Psalm 12: Empty Words, Empty World.

Psalm 12 draws a sharp contrast between the words of the wicked and the words of the Lord.  The psalmist enters his plea into the courtroom in vv.1-3:

Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly: the faithful have disappeared from humankind.  They utter lies to each other with flattering lips and a double they heart they speak.

It’s interesting how the words of the ungodly are entered as articles of evidence against them.  Were we not always taught that “sticks and stones would break our bones but word would never hurt us?”  Notice also, these words are not spoken from within the circle of the ungodly to the oppressed masses, rather these are the words shared in conversation between the ungodly.  So why would a bunch of lies and empty flattery shared between people claiming to be friends be of any concern to the world at large?  I think the key is in v. 8b:

Vileness is exalted among humankind.

The words shared between the wicked are not the cause of the state of the world, rather they are the clearest evidence of the collective bent of the human heart.  Instead of focusing on the things that really matter, things like truth, beauty, justice, and love, people everywhere are focused on themselves, spending their time and their words on inanity and gossip.  The psalmist, like us, lives in a reality TV world where the conversations shared in polite society are the most damning evidence that the world has lost its mind.  Think about our own world.  Think about how much time we all spend on promoting a facade, think about how much mindless scrolling occupies the minutes, and seconds of our lives, think about a world where binge-watching is seen as almost a good.  We spend our days looking at screens which claim to be windows to the world at large, but what we find is that are merely mirrors reflecting back our hollow souls.^[1]The first episode in the Netflix series, Black Mirror, is a haunting depiction of our world.  In such a state, how could we have anything good to say?  It’s easier just to talk about ourselves.

In v. 5 it is the Lord who speaks:

Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now rise up, says the Lord.  I will place them in the safety for which they long.

The Lord speaks and he does not even address the words of the wicked.  Their words don’t even warrant consideration.  Rather he turns his words immediately to the poor.  The one’s who suffer physically in a world without any sense of meaning are always the marginalized.  But their suffering will not be ignored, it is their plight which rouses the Lord to action.  While the ungodly long for entertainment and to be lifted up, it is the longings of the poor, longings for safety and security which will be met by the Lord.  Jesus says it this way:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.^[2]Matthew 5vv3-12

For reflection:

-Spend time in silence away from any screens.  Read the psalm three times through and ask the Lord, “What are you trying to say to me?”
-How can you seek the beauty of the Lord in the entertainment that you enjoy?  How can you seek new revelations revealed in artistic works such as TV shows, movies, and music?  How can you glorify God in rest?
-What practices can you adopt to opt out of the cycle of empty talk and empty entertainment?

Verse for meditation:
Ps. 12v6:  The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.